ELSEWHERE ON THE GTP NETWORK:

Former vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin and daughter Bristol Palin are furious over a Family Guy skit allegedly mocking Palin’s son Trig, who has Down syndrome.

Sarah Palin (Photo: Therealbs2002 - Source: Wikimedia Commons)

In the Family Guy episode, the character of Chris dates a woman with Down syndrome who says her “dad’s an accountant, and my mom’s the former governor of Alaska.” Before his date, the Stewie character mocks Chris with a song called “Down Syndrome Girl”. There were also several tasteless jokes about the “short bus” and how the Down syndrome girl is “always shouting” – typical Family Guy fare really. Sarah and Bristol Palin, however, weren’t laughing.

“People are asking me to comment on yesterdayâ€™s Fox show that felt like another kick in the gut,” Sarah Palin wrote in a Facebook blog post. Bristol was one who asked what I thought of the show that mocked her baby brother, Trig (and/or others with special needs), in an episode yesterday. Instead of answering, I asked her what she thought. Here is her conscientious reply, which is a much more restrained and gracious statement than I want to make about an issue that begs the question, â€œwhen is enough, enough?”:

“People with special needs face challenges that many of us will never confront, and yet they are some of the kindest and most loving people youâ€™ll ever meet,” Bristol Palin said. “Their lives are difficult enough as it is, so why would anyone want to make their lives more difficult by mocking them? As a culture, shouldnâ€™t we be more compassionate to innocent people â€“ especially those who are less fortunate? Shouldnâ€™t we be willing to say that some things just are not funny?”

“If the writers of a particularly pathetic cartoon show thought they were being clever in mocking my brother and my family yesterday, they failed,” Bristol Palin concluded in her statement. “All they proved is that theyâ€™re heartless jerks.”